NaNo Day 3:
SS-2—3037 words

FYI, I’ll announce the winner of the gift certificate tomorrow. So there’s still time to enter. See details on my Contest page. ~DD

Bet you thought I was never comin’ back. Well, I have been busy. I just wrapped up the “super alpha” antho and shipped it–and no, I can’t tell anyone who made my final cut, because the wonderful folks at Cleis still have to give it their blessing. They have been known to kick a story.

Now, I’m joining NaNoWriMo to slam pages on the Shattered Souls sequel. I don’t know how to tell you folks how much I love this series. I hope you’ll give it a chance. I hope you’ll pre-order SS to give it a chance for others to find it, I believe in it that much. That being said, do you know I have a book coming out in just 10 days? The next Delta Heat story? That’s right. Have you heard me say the story’s all about sex? Yeah, for some reason my fireman and his pretty little sub can’t manage to be in the same room and not get busy. When Craig the cop was added to the equation all hell broke loose. I have a scene I plucked from pretty far into the book. What’s the lead up? Let’s see. Aiden, the fireman, is a Dom who’s a frustrated sadist. He can’t let go with his little subbie the way he wants for fear of hurting her. Enter Craig who gets off on pain. A menage made in heaven? You’ll have to wait and see. Here, Craig’s dealing out a little punishment to a very sorry Jenn. 🙂

Excerpt:

Jenn didn’t find Aiden’s car at the usual places—the apartment building or La Forge—so she drove to the firehouse. There, she found his black pickup parked outside. She pulled in beside it then let herself out. So she’d found him. But she still didn’t know yet what she’d say.

Hoping she hadn’t completely fucked up their relationship, she walked through the bay, down the hallway to the rec room. She peeked inside, noted the TV blaring and gave a wave to one of the men who started to stand. He knew her and eased back into his armchair.

The clank of weights dropping drew her attention. Moving farther down the hall, she stood at the door of the small gym room. Several other firefighters were inside, mostly sitting on benches and talking. One of them noted her appearance, slapped the man next to him, and suddenly they were trailing past her, leaving her alone with the man who pretended she wasn’t there.

The barbells he lifted in rapid succession were heavily weighted. He was sweating. Shirtless. Wearing just a pair of plain gray sweatpants and sneakers.

Her mouth watered because she wanted to lick at the sweat. But she shook herself. Aiden needed something from her.

Trying not to think about what she was doing, she went with her instincts. Her submissive heart. She strolled slowly inside, dropped her purse beside the door and closed the door before she stripped to the skin. Naked, she walked toward him and knelt beside the bench where he reclined.

Aiden continued to ignore her.

For her part, she ignored the hardness of the polished concrete floor beneath her knees. Other things weren’t so easy to push out of her mind as she waited. His body was so beautiful. So strong. A study in rippling, übermasculine muscle.

Every flex heightened her awareness of the things she loved about his body. The strength of his embrace. How safe he made her feel. The sheer power he kept tightly controlled every time he touched her. Aiden didn’t trust that strength. Not when it came to her. And she’d resented it.

But that restraint was a testament to his desire to protect anyone weaker than he was. Proof of his deep feelings for her. How selfish had she been to want to push him into losing his control for her own pleasure?

He settled the weights into their bracket then jackknifed to sit with his legs straddling the bench.

Jenn didn’t dare glance up. Not until he said something. Gave her permission.

“Why are you here?”

She closed her eyes. What was the right thing to say? Rather than the apology she wanted to give him, she whispered, “I’m here to be punished.”

After a long, pregnant silence, he asked, “Did you even lock the door?” Read the rest of this entry »

I’m still knee-deep in the Studio Art Tour, but I thought I’d introduce you to two upcoming books I think will appeal. One’s coming out in a few weeks, the other just after the new year. One’s the next in my sexy BDSM Delta Heat series. The other is the first book in a new paranormal series.

If you love what I write, it’s not too early to show your support. First, click on the cover or one of the links for Shattered Souls and go to Amazon to “Like” and click on “tags.” I don’t know the whys, but it’s supposed to help other readers find the book. Second, and this would be the biggest thing, pre-order the books. Doing it now will save you some cash, because hey, you know eventually you’re gonna want to read them both. Why not be a little budget savvy? 😉

That’s my pitch. Not too heavy-handed, was it? I love my job and hope you love what I produce. If there are things you’re dying to see more of, or even something completely off the wall, I love hearing your suggestions.

This week I have three guests coming, but on Thursday, I plan to start a new contest. Be sure to check in!

* * * * *

A Perfect Trifecta — Coming November 13th

Playing with pain can put you in a world of hurt…or bliss.

Playing switch in front of a La Forge BDSM club audience was supposed to be a one-time fling. A favor for a friend. Instead, when Craig Eason realizes he’s caught the attention of an enigmatic, powerful Dom across the crowded room, he senses this could be the man he’s been looking for to test the boundaries of his own sexuality.

Firefighter Aiden Byrne is a very private man with strong S&M longings he keeps in check for everyone else’s safety. His sub, Jennifer Callum, thinks she likes it rough, but he can’t let go the way he’d like to. Until one defiant stare from the handsome cop on the La Forge stage causes Aiden’s most dangerous needs to uncoil from the deepest, darkest part of his soul.

With the blessing—and active involvement—of his sub, a seduction is set in motion that ends in a scene that shakes them all to the core…

Product Warnings: Contains a powerful, burly firefighter who plans to take everything a hot cop thinks he knows about himself and send it up in smoke. Please replace the batteries in all your smoke detectors before reading this book. Contains scenes with m/m/f, m/m, spanking, flogging, restraints, and one wild orgy of pleasure.

Pre-order the eBook

* * * * *

Shattered Souls — Coming January 29th

When her mentor is brutally murdered by a supernatural force, an alcoholic former cop turns to her past lovers—her ex-partner and a powerful sorcerer—to help her hunt down a demon terrorizing Memphis.

Caitlyn O’Connell had it all: a career with the Memphis PD, a passionate marriage, and the satisfaction that her work made a difference in the world. But she also had a secret, a supernatural “gift” that cost her everything. Now she scrapes by as a private investigator, taking cases the cops won’t touch and counting down the minutes until happy hour. But when Sam Pierce, her former partner and estranged ex-husband, comes to her for help with a bizarre murder case, Cait can’t say no. And not just because Sam is still as irresistibly sexy as he was on the day they met. Something sinister—and demonic—is terrorizing Memphis, leaving a bloody trail of bodies and clues only Cait can read. Together she and Sam will venture into a dark world of magic and unholy terror, hunting a killer who will lead them to the brink of reality as they know it—and back into the thrall of their stormy past. Steamy and suspenseful, Shattered Souls is the pulse-quickening new offering from romance author Delilah Devlin.

Pre-order the paperback
Pre-order the eBook

What a whirlwind week! Mom shattered her shoulder on Monday, so we spent hours at the emergency room. We took her to an ortho guy on Tuesday, then yesterday she had surgery to replace everything. I’m sticking close to home today to rest up. Everyone’s tired. Poor dad is exhausted, but at least he has the worry of the surgery past him. Now, we’re planning for her to come home tomorrow. I’ll ramp up again tomorrow to help out.

In the meantime, my website needs updates. I’ll try to take care of those today. But here’s what went out this week. The first is a project my sister and I co-wrote that’s years in the making. T&J was one of those stories we had sitting under the bed until we had time and had learned enough to do it right. It’s a comedy. So if you like funny, sweet romances (there are sexy interludes, have no fear!), this might be the book for you! The second two are anthologies my RWA chapter is sponsoring to raise money for a wildlife refuge. I have a story in the YA anthology (gulp…for realz!)!

Click on the covers to find them at Amazon.com! If you have time while you’re bumping around Amazon, please click on “like” and the “tags”! Thanks, everyone!

A laugh-out-loud romantic adventure!

See what happens when a secret billionaire and an aspiring actress get a little wild in Texas.

A man with a soft spot for women…

Closet Texas millionaire, Tanner Peschke has three months to prove he can make a profit at the family used car dealership or he will lose his job, disappoint his father and break his promise to his dying mother. The root of his problem is women. He can’t resist them–any of them. All it takes is the scent of delicate perfume or a misty-eyed gaze from an elderly woman with a sob story, and he becomes silly putty in the hands of his feminine customers. Until, with a stroke of luck and a buck of a mechanical bull, he hires Janine Davis to star with him in the dealership’s live TV ads.

A woman who won’t let a handsome cowboy get in the way of her dream…

Determined to make a name for herself, Janine needs to pay the bills between acting jobs. The offer to do a series of commercials for Peschke Motors is a chance to get her face “out there”. Recognizing a player when she sees one, Janine agrees to co-star with her handsome employer fully intending to keep their relationship strictly professional. First break she gets, she’s heading to Hollywood.

Their jungle-themed commercials take a crazy twist, and Tanner finds himself falling…from a sales banner while chasing a monkey. But more importantly, he’s falling for Janine. She’s just the one woman to tame this cowboy’s wild heart. Convincing her to stay with him might be harder than catching a mischievous monkey.

This is a volume of short stories about wild animals, big cat rescues, shapeshifters and anything that would showcase the plight of large wild creatures and their need to have safe homes and/or freedom.

This anthology was produced by the Diamond State Romance Authors as a project of love to benefit the rescued animals of the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. All profits from this collection will go directly to the refuge to help with the care and feeding of these wonderful creatures.

Stories Included in this volume are:

Spirit of the Tiger by Elle James
Archer Falls by Lauren Smith
A Boy, A Girl, A Tiger by Cynthia D’Alba
The Wedding Crasher by Lindy Dierks
Beached by Dustin Stevens
Sunlight and Solace by Gina Wilkins
Saving Angel by Lynda Frazier
Buck by M. Marie
True Instinct by Vanessa North
Storm Haven by Charlene Roberts
Saving Akira by Candace Sams

This volume of short stories includes a wonderful variety of contemporary and paranormal tales, and was produced by the Diamond State Romance Authors as a project of love to benefit the residents of the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. All profits from this collection will go directly to the refuge to help with the care and feeding of the rescued animals.

The stories in this volume were inspired by the animals. If you enjoy them, we hope you’ll recommend the book to friends, and doesn’t everyone need to feel a little Wild at Heart?

Stories in this collection include:

Freedom by Connie Wilkins
Teens Gone Wild by Margaret Etheridge
Home by Midnight by Brinda Berry
Cats Rule by Aileen Fish
Refugee by Lori Freeland
The Girl and the Puma by Jayne Grey
Heart’s Solace by Tara Fox Hall
Vision Quest by Karis Walsh
The Bully in the Piney Woods by Delilah Devlin
Fierce Wild by Megan Mitcham
Salvaje by Anna Meadows

I haven’t had a lot of time to check out the new fall TV shows. What should I be setting up to TIVO? What has you hooked?

I’m heading to the hospital with my mother (she broke her arm last night!), but wanted to get the news out about T&J! It’s a brand new book, 45,000 satisfying words I guarantee will tickle your funny bone! Click on the cover to head to Amazon! And while you’re there, be sure to like and tag it, and if you read it, Elle and I would appreciate your comments in the reviews!! Enjoy!

A laugh-out-loud romantic adventure!

See what happens when a secret billionaire and an aspiring actress get a little wild in Texas!

A man with a soft spot for women…

Closet Texas millionaire, Tanner Peschke has three months to prove he can make a profit at the family used car dealership or he will lose his job, disappoint his father and break his promise to his dying mother. The root of his problem is women. He can’t resist them—any of them. All it takes is the scent of delicate perfume or a misty-eyed gaze from an elderly woman with a sob story, and he becomes silly putty in the hands of his feminine customers. Until, with a stroke of luck and a buck of a mechanical bull, he hires Janine Davis to star with him in the dealership’s live TV ads.

A woman who won’t let a handsome cowboy get in the way of her dream…

Determined to make a name for herself, Janine needs to pay the bills between acting jobs. The offer to do a series of commercials for Peschke Motors is a chance to get her face “out there”. Recognizing a player when she sees one, Janine agrees to co-star with her handsome employer fully intending to keep their relationship strictly professional. First break she gets, she’s heading to Hollywood.
Their jungle-themed commercials take a crazy twist, and Tanner finds himself falling…from a sales banner while chasing a monkey. But more importantly, he’s falling for Janine. She’s just the one woman to tame this cowboy’s wild heart. Convincing her to stay with him might be harder than catching a mischievous monkey.

A knock on the door made her groan.

“It’s time, Miss Davis,” came a male voice, not Tanner’s, through the hollow panel of the bathroom door.

“I’ll be right out,” she called. Alternating between tugging down the hem of the bottoms to cover her fanny, and pulling up the top to cover her breasts, she stormed out of the bathroom, across the showroom floor, and out into the lighted car lot.

Judging by the gauntlet of wolf calls she passed through to get to the television crew, every salesman in the dealership must have stayed late. They all wanted to witness the live filming by a group of college students Tanner hired to keep the budget low. As part of the crew’s curriculum requirement, the commercial would air live on the university’s public television station.

A man carrying a spider monkey approached and shoved the critter into her arms. “This is Spunky. You need to keep a hold on the monkey at all times, or he’ll take off. Catching him will take us hours.”

“Hey! Nobody said anything about a monkey.” Janine pushed the little guy back at his handler, but the jerk turned and trotted to a position beyond the spotlights. Her chances of being taken seriously as an actress slipping through the seams of her skimpy costume and the busy fingers of the monkey, Janine suppressed the urge to scream.

“Quiet, everybody. Two minutes to take,” the young director’s voice boomed through a megaphone. “Where’s Tanner?”

The animal handler called to Janine from the sidelines. “Remember, whatever you do, don’t let go of the monkey.”

“Right, don’t let go of the monkey.” Janine’s head swiveled side to side in search of the nutcase who’d talked her into this crazy commercial. She’d felt more in control on the bucking mechanical bull at the convention than she did right now.

Suddenly, the crowd of used car salesmen parted. Tanner strode toward her with his long, loose-limbed gait and all the confidence and charm of a professional actor. Tanner, dressed casually in his ever-present blue jeans, chambray shirt, cowboy hat and cowboy boots, smiled as he worked his way through the crowd of onlookers.

Janine snorted.

I’ll bet he’s never ridden a horse a day in his life.

He walked right up and turned the full force of his smile on her.

Damn. Her knees went weak, complementing the butterflies in her stomach and the monkey fidgeting in her arms.

As the cameras moved into position, panic filled her. “You never told me what my lines were. What am I supposed to say?”

“Just stand over there and look beautiful. I’ll do all the rest.” He adjusted his hat with enough confidence for both of them. “And smile when I introduce you. That frown makes you look mean.”

Janine opened her mouth to carve his enormous ego down to size and remind him she was an actress, not a model.

Before one word could cross Janine’s lips, she was cut off by the cameraman. “Mr. Peschke, I hope you’re ready because this is not a rehearsal, you’re going live in five…four…three…two…” He pointed ‘one’. The camera was trained on Tanner, the red button lit, and the feed was direct.

Without missing a beat, Tanner smiled, looking completely at ease in front of the camera. “Howdy, folks. It’s a jungle out there. We know how difficult wading through the gimmicks and sales jargon is when buying a used car.”

She had to admit he sounded charming and genuine. After sabotaging her job with BS-Squared, he’d conned Janine into taking this job. She bet he could sell ice to Eskimos.

Spunky’s hairy little hand slipped beneath the bra of her outfit.

Janine slapped at his hand, eliciting a shriek from the monkey. “You must be a male,” she muttered, wishing Tanner would fall on his pretty face in front of the camera.

“Are you sick of the new car prices and immediate depreciation when you drive a car off the lot? Let us take the monkey off your back…” Tanner swung an arm in her direction.

Spunky crawled up on her shoulders and played with her hair.

How about getting this monkey off my back? Crap. She’d spent hours trying to fix her hair beautifully for the commercial. Great, when they finally get the cameras on me, I look like the monkey.

“…and show you what we’ve got in low mileage, pre-owned vehicles at rock-bottom prices.”

At that moment, the creature latched onto the strings holding her halter-top in place. She felt her boobs dip and her stomach knotted.

“Stop that, Spunky,” she whispered, making a grab for both of his tiny, dexterous fingers and the tail that seemed just as facile.

The monkey ignored her, chattering happily, hands and tail dodging her flailing attempts.

“Join us this weekend for our ‘Monkey Off Your Back Sale.’ We’ll be servin’ free banana milkshakes to all the folks who come out.” Tanner’s voice kept up the running monologue despite the monkey’s antics, true to form for a car salesman.

Janine simmered as she struggled for control.

Let’s get this over with before this monkey craps on me. 

Yesterday’s winner of a free download of Arctic Dragon is…Gayle Latreille!
Congrats, Gayle! Email me! ~DD

Did you see…?

…the wonderful reviews Laying Down the Law received?

Had to make sure you didn’t miss those!

…that my January release, Shattered Souls, is ready for pre-order? And if you order it now, you’ll save over $5 on the cover price. Want to know what it’s about? Here’s my little write-up, although I’m sure Montlake is going to do a much better blurb…

A bloody handprint on the inside of a mirror forces a disgraced ex-cop to seek help from two former lovers, her ex-partner and a powerful sorcerer, to stop a murderous demon

*~*~*~*~*

Private Investigator Caitlyn O’Connell lost it all to booze—her plum job as a detective for the Memphis PD, her partner and lover, and her own self-respect—in an attempt to drown out the voices in her head. When her ex-partner drags her to a murder scene where she’s his only real lead, she knows the time has come to face her greatest fears and harness the inherited gifts she’s always rejected. That she’ll have a chance to prove she had damn good reasons for shutting Sam out of her life is just icing on the cake.

The last thing Sam Pierce wants is to revisit his painful relationship with Cait, but she’s the only lead he has. Sam doggedly follows Cait into a dark world filled with magick and unholy terrors as they search for killer wraiths and the demon who commands them.

Tempted now? 😉

Sunday Report Card

Below is my To Do list of projects I started in April. Everything in green is written. I still have 9 things to try to plow through before the end of the year.  Works you will be reading soon include:

A Perfect Trifecta (BDSM, menage) — the next in the Delta Heat series with Samhain, coming 11/13
Tarzan & Janine (romantic comedy) — I hope to share a blurb and cover, and maybe a scene this next week. Sis and I are publishing this ourselves and hope to have it ready to release by the end of October!
Wild at Heart — this is the charity anthology to benefit a large cat refuge

So as you can see, I’m still up to my ears in projects. Does anything there tempt you? Want to know more? Just ask!

Enjoy the excerpt from my latest self-pub release! And if you post a comment today, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a download of my last dragon story, Arctic Dragon!

An ancient, cursed creature, Drago, Lord of Drakkenberg, dreads the anniversary that marks the moment he must devour a virgin or visit a plague of destruction on the world around him. Once every century, he becomes a dragon…

Angela has been blindfolded…

Angela shivered at the delicious growling texture of Lord Drakken’s voice. So he wanted to taste her? She didn’t think he was talking about a kiss. And despite how strange this whole interview was, she wasn’t really afraid for her virtue. He seemed willing to seduce her. And yet, a “taste” sounded so depraved. If the liquid heat wetting her panties was any clue, her body certainly wasn’t in opposition to the idea.

Yes, she was a virgin, but she wasn’t entirely clueless. “A taste, then you’ll give me what I want?”

“Entrée into a dungeon? Yes.”

She swallowed hard, intrigued, but wasn’t ready to fold without making sure of just what would be expected. “What do you want me to do?”

“Not a thing. Let my man prepare you.”

His man. The handsome “knight” she’d approached in the first place. He had plied her with a drink while he charmed her into relating her life story. How had he guessed she was a virgin? Was she that bad of a kisser? Or was it the ring on her finger?

He’d smiled. And then told her a bit about himself. Or only the bit about who employed him. She’d likely lit up like a Christmas tree, telegraphing her excitement. After that, she hadn’t paid close enough attention to the conversation because her mind had been abuzz with the possibilities. Entranced with who he worked for, as well as his handsome face.

For twelve long months since her aunt’s death, she’d waited for the chance to write something other than ads selling washing machines and yorkie-poos. She’d hired on because of the carrot the editor had held out, promising her a shot at feature writing. Excitedly, she’d accepted the minimum wage job to get her foot in the door, sure she’d be writing features in no time, and not caring about what. Even if all she got was a chance to cover the local high school game or a spread for the Sunday paper with pictures of the winner of the Garden Club’s Best Rose contest, that opportunity would be her start.

But she’d languished in her cubicle. She’d led such a sheltered life, she didn’t know the town or the people. Unfortunately, she’d never learned to mingle, preferring to spend her time after work alone at home, reading. Truthfully, she didn’t possess the necessary knowledge to make the connections she needed to find just the right story to launch her career.

On occasion, she’d dabbled with the idea of writing fiction. A stumbling block was knowing where to begin or whether her imagination was big enough to dream up the grandiose stories she preferred of vampires seducing innocents for the blood, of demons finding redemption when they found true love.

Sure, she knew about desire, had felt it a time or two, inspired by the heroes in her favorite stories, but she’d never been tempted. Not like she was now. Two men surrounded her while she was blindfolded. So much like the naughty BDSM scenarios she’d read with shock, then growing arousal. But she hadn’t known where to go to sate her curiosity.

A large hand cupped her shoulder again. “Are you brave enough?” Guy whispered beside her ear.

A fresh quiver shook her body, and she understood that what was being asked was something dark and sensual. Lord Drakken spoke of being satisfied simply by attempting to seduce her. It was up to her to remain strong—or to give into her curiosity. Read the rest of this entry »

Sad, sad, sad… Summer’s over. No more pool time. How about one last taste of sweet summer heat before you unpack your sweaters?

Post a comment today, and you can win a free copy of this short story!

Afraid to spoil their friendship, Emily had been reluctant to act on her attraction to the two sexy men next door. However, when she’s caught spying on them, the men decide a little punishment is in order…

From National Bestselling Author, Delilah Devlin, comes a sexy little story sure to become one of your favorite one-handed reads!

Warning: This 6800-word short story contains elements of voyeurism, m/f/m ménage sex, oral sex, and light BDSM.

Beads of condensation, glittering jewel-like in the sputtering candlelight, ran in rivulets down the sides of Jason’s ice-cold beer.

Detail I shouldn’t have been able to note, given the fact I was thirty feet away.

As I lowered my nephew’s toy binoculars, I reflected that I had indeed sunk to a new low. You see, my bedroom window conveniently overlooked Jason and Robert’s backyard. A fact that probably never registered with the previous tenants, but one that proved too delicious to ignore after the arrival of the handsome duo. Privacy fencing, which ran down to the pier that jutted into the lake, separated the row of houses where we lived. It was high enough the neighbors on either side of ours couldn’t see into their yard, but lucky me—I had the perfect view.

Upon discovering this, I had began a furtive surveillance. One that had me cringing in embarrassment each time I greeted them in passing and feeling even more ashamed when we struck up a friendship.

We’d shared meals, drinks, late afternoon swims, watched football games together on their wide-screen TV. And still, I peeked into their backyard, waiting for those moments when they popped outside to mow the lawn or catch a few summer rays. Their bodies gleamed with sweat while raw lust warred inside me, along with the fear that I’d mess up our relationship if I let the guys know how I really felt.

My convenient perch on the windowsill afforded me a window into their private lives, and from the very beginning, I was hooked. They’d become an obsession, one frustrated by the fact they treated me like a kid sister, rather than a woman one of them might desire.

And therein lay another problem. I’d resisted the urge to seek a deeper relationship because then I’d have to choose. My libido was completely fickle, lusting after Jason’s muscled physique, then sighing over the possibilities of what Robert’s tall, bony frame and large feet hinted at. That their personalities were perfect bookends, fierce and funny, confused my heart as well.

Lucky, lucky me. I licked the sweat gathering on my upper lip while this night one of the handsome men living next door tilted his bottle and took several long sips. The look of pure bliss that softened his otherwise stern features made my chest ache.

I watched the movement of Jason’s throat as he worked it down, imagining him sipping at my overheated flesh. My skin began to tingle. My nipples beaded, crowding uncomfortably against my lace bra. My thighs clenched as a delicious wash of arousal seeped to wet the crotch of my plain panties.

The sigh he emitted as he set the bottle on the table was echoed by my own painful groan. Watching either of them had never caused my heart to skip a beat like that hint of a moan sliding on the tail of Jason’s long exhalation.

Sure, it was hotter than hell out there. I too felt the effects of the enervating heat. Record temperatures had strained the region’s resources and planned service interruptions began that night. But something about that sigh felt…un-subtle, exaggerated, maybe even dramatic. And Jason was too straightforward a man for that.

I blotted sweat from my forehead, asking myself again, What am I doing?

Only this time, my peeping hadn’t been deliberate. I’d rushed home from work and showered quickly to beat the scheduled brown-out. Then I’d stripped to my underwear, pulled back the curtains, and opened the window, hoping for a breeze to cool my skin. Sitting limply on the sill, I waited for the world to flicker into life again.

That’s when I’d noticed him, sitting in a lounge chair alone in the dark.

He wore his usual work “uniform”—khaki trousers, white shirt and a tie. Tonight, the tie hung loosened and askew, his collar opened beneath it.

Despite the lack of electricity, I could see it all. Moonlight silvered his dark hair and reflected bright as a beacon against the white shirt. The golden light from the large Citronella candle leant warmth to his skin and the amber bottle he held between his hands.

As always, he was lovely to watch, but tonight, his expression drew my attention more than his breath-stealing features. A sullen slanting of his brows, a bit of pout plumping his masculine lips, an edgy energy to his slight movements—he was either irritated or aroused. Read the rest of this entry »